


Choosing Happiness

by Murder_Kitten



Series: Dates, Happiness And Fate [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Declarations Of Love, F/M, Marriage Proposal, Unplanned Pregnancy, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28948155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Murder_Kitten/pseuds/Murder_Kitten
Summary: At the wedding of mutual friends, Pansy and Neville consider the possibility of a marriage and a future together. Each of them are holding back for their own reasons, but which will triumph in the end - their heads or their hearts?Set as a companion piece to the final chapter of my other work Thirty Third Dates.OneShot. Complete.
Relationships: Daphne Greengrass/Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom/Pansy Parkinson
Series: Dates, Happiness And Fate [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2123187
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	Choosing Happiness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mariana_Monteverde](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mariana_Monteverde/gifts).



> Disclaimer: the characters do not belong to me but are the property of J.K.R and Warner Bros. No copyright infringement is intended. I make no profit from these works. All stories are for fun and entertainment only.
> 
> I always welcome reviews/comments of people who enjoy my works. 
> 
> Thank you for taking the time to read. I hope you enjoy it.

Six full moons had passed since the best Christmas of Pansy's life, which had been held at Longbottom Lodge. On that wonderful day, Neville had given her several things that Pansy had never thought possible - a home, a loving family, and most precious of all, his heart and the promise of a life together. 

But six months on, Neville showed no sign of planning what Pansy termed a _real_ proposal. His Gran proposing for him didn't count. It was sweet, but it didn't count. Pansy stood very firm on that point. If _stood_ could be interpreted as _thought about it often but never dared bring it up in case Neville had changed his mind about marrying her._

Weddings were on her mind at the moment. Daphne and Harry had gotten engaged on New Year's Eve and were to be wed at a ceremony held at the Greengrass estate tonight. The many rooms of the Greengrass home were filled to bursting with family and friends who had come from all four corners of the world to witness this special occasion - the thirty-fifth wedding anniversary of Hyperion and Laurel Greengrass and the wedding of their eldest daughter Daphne. 

* * *

Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass were married at sunset in a small ceremony comprised of their closest family and friends only. Pansy stood beside Daphne with her other bridesmaids - her younger sister, Astoria and Millicent Bulstrode, while Harry stood with his best man, Ron Weasley with five-year-old Teddy Lupin and Remus Lupin as his groomsmen. 

At the completion of the ceremony, the newly wed couple and their bridal party returned to the house where a small ballroom had been made by opening the doors between two adjoining parlours. 

In the centre of the room was a large archway. To one side of the arch sat Daphne's parents, while Harry and Daphne seated themselves on the opposite side of the archway. The senior bride and groom on one side and the newly wed bride and groom on the other. Perfect symmetry.

Daphne's bridesmaid, Astoria, gave a sweet speech to those present, thanking her parents for being an example of love and unity to her and Daphne all their lives, leading the way for them to enter their own long and love-filled marriages. At the conclusion of Astoria's toast, gifts were presented to both couples and the dancefloor opened to the invited guests who began to mingle and chat amongst themselves. 

Neville watched Daphne's parents with a sad sort of smile on his face. He was seated at a table to one side, between Pansy and his Gran. Weddings were on his mind too, but now he regretted that his parents could never share the same happiness that Daphne's did. They would never know the joy he felt in his relationship with Pansy, or if they did know it, they would be unlikely to understand or remember it. 

"They're such a lovely young couple," Augusta commented, her eyes on Harry and Daphne as they took to the dancefloor and swayed slowly on the spot, gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. "Harry looks so proud. I don't think I've ever seen him so happy." 

Neville nodded in agreement, his thoughts far away, as Pansy excused herself and went in search of some refreshments. 

"It's your own fault you know," Augusta said with a knowing smile as Neville watched Pansy walk away. "You've got an amazing young woman who loves you devotedly, as pretty and smart as they come, and you keep stringing her along, waiting for a perfect day and time. I'm getting old and tired waiting for you to ask her to marry you. For Godric's sake, Neville, I want great-grandchildren before I die," she said in a mildly scolding tone. 

"I'm afraid you'll be waiting quite a long time, Gran," Neville said absently. 

"And why is that?" Augusta asked sternly. 

"Because it's hopeless," Neville said dejectedly. "How can we have what's supposed to be the happiest day of our lives without our parents present? Her father is in Azkaban, and her mother is hiding somewhere in Europe, and my parents are--" he broke off awkwardly. 

"I never thought I would see the day," Augusta said slowly. "Neville Franklin Longbottom, you should be ashamed. Self pity does not look good on you," she said quietly. 

"It's not pity," Neville argued. 

"It is," Augusta said simply. "You're sitting here feeling sorry for yourself when you could be happy. That, my dear boy, is self pity, and you ought to know better. I thought I'd raised you better than that." 

"You're right. I'm sorry," he said quietly, standing up and walking towards Pansy, who had paused to give Harry and Daphne her congratulations. 

"Sorry to interrupt, but, may I have this dance?" Neville asked Pansy. She assented with an encouraging nod, allowing Neville to sweep her into his arms. 

They shared several dances together and Augusta looked on with pleasure, thinking how gladly she would cherish Pansy as her granddaughter-in-law. 

Sometime after midnight, the majority of the guests began to retire to their rooms for the night and Neville watched Pansy lead her sister upstairs with regret. Another night gone and still he hadn't asked her the one question that was always on his lips. It was so simple, just four words. But every time he looked at her, he just couldn't seem to say them. It was the past, he decided. His family's past troubled him. Pansy had once said that he was afraid of the future, but the past and his parent's fates continued to haunt him.

He didn't sleep many hours that night, but was at Pansy's door by nine a.m. He knew what he wanted. He wanted to choose happiness, not self pity or regret. He was turned away by one of the house elves though, who told him that Miss Pansy was resting. He didn't see her all day and began to wonder if she was avoiding him. 

The next morning, he again asked for Pansy and was informed by another house elf that she had left and gone into the garden. Neville went out to search for her, finding her at length, resting against the trunk of a cedar tree with a book in her lap. 

"Morning," Neville said quietly, as Pansy jumped in surprise, brushing away a stray tear that lingered on her cheek. 

"Morning," Pansy replied a little huskily. "Are you looking for Gran or Poppy? They're having tea with Mrs Greengrass this morning." 

"No, I was looking for you," Neville said, his eyes searching her face for some hint at the cause of her tears. It was most unlike Pansy to be found crying or to be emotional at all. 

"Me?" Pansy said, sounding so surprised that Neville knew immediately that there was something she was holding back from him.

"Yes," Neville said. "Pansy, there's something I want-- I _need_ to ask you. I don't want to have any regrets. I want to be happy like Harry and Daphne. I want to be happy _with you._ I want-- I want to marry you, if you'll have me," he added with a nervous laugh. 

Pansy was silent for so long that Neville began to worry that she was going to refuse him. 

"What is it? Do you not want to or-- or has something changed?" he said anxiously. 

"I want to," Pansy said with a little sigh. "I've wanted to since Christmas, since before that even. But I-- something _has_ changed," she admitted, fresh tears coursing down her cheeks. 

"Pansy, just-- just tell me," Neville begged. 

Pansy took a deep breath, then said the two words that were to change Neville's life forever. 

"I'm pregnant." 

"That's _wonderful,"_ Neville declared after a moment's pause. "Gran was just saying the other night how much she wants great-grandchildren, and I-- I couldn't think of anything more amazing than starting a family with you." 

"Aren't you going to ask me if it's yours?" Pansy said doubtfully. 

"No, I know you," Neville said firmly. 

"Then you know that I didn't tell you because I-- I wanted you to marry me because you _wanted_ to, not because you felt like you _have_ to out of honour or duty or to avoid shaming the family name," Pansy said, her eyes filling with tears again. 

"Hey. _Hey,"_ Neville said gently. "There is no shame in this. None," he said, settling onto the grass beside her and curling a comforting arm around her shoulders. "We conceived this baby in love and that's how this baby will be born and raised too - in love. _I love you._ I have for a very long time now. I want to marry you because I love you, not for any other reason. And if you want to wait so I can prove that to you, we can wait. If you wanted to marry me today or any other day, we can do that too." 

Pansy paused, considering. 

"I want to marry you," she said softly. "If you'll have me," she said with a laugh, remembering his earlier words. 

"I'll have you," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I know you have a ring from Gran already, but this one is from me," he said, presenting her with a delicate silver ring, crowned with a deep blue sapphire. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," Pansy agreed at last, as Neville slipped the ring on her finger and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. 

Neville Franklin Longbottom and Pansy Rose Parkinson would officially announce their engagement later that day. They were in love, and in the family way. But more importantly, they were happy and had chosen each other over regret, fear or shame. Their journey together was just beginning… 


End file.
